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GET YOUR KIDS TO EAT BETTER

While good nutrition is important for everyone, it is especially important for growing tweens and teenagers. Dr Laubscher shares a few simple tips on how to get your kids eating well.

Find an alternative

"I always meet them where they are at and work with them on their palate. If they hate greens and broccoli I get them to eat fruit. If they hate fish, eat chicken, if they hate eggs they can have avocado or almond butter. I always make it totally practical because they get told to eat X,Y and Z and they hate it. If they hate cooked vegetables, try raw. Look at your overall fruit bowl, look at your overall vege draw, it doesn't have to be cooked, just try any combo. Ask them what they hate the least and start there. If they hate peas, eat cucumber."

Follow by example

"As much as tweens and teenagers like to rebel, they are heavily influenced by what their parents do. It is important to use this influence in the best way possible. Traditionally in the household, parents purchase and prepare most of the meals. With this in mind, try to forgo quick snack options and move towards more fruit and vegetables. This is especially evident with breakfast, with many parents too busy in the morning to have breakfast, sending message to their child that it isn't important - when it really is."

"Look at your overall fruit bowl,

look at your overall vege draw,

it doesn't have to be cooked,

just try any combo"

Build a culture

"Get your child involved in food preparation. We are all busy, but taking the time to create nutritious and healthy meals is so important. It is a great way to get them more excited about a meal, especially if they haven't tried it before."

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

We’re getting behind Jamie Oliver’s campaign to implement a sugar tax on regular sized cans of soft drink. Because the numbers say it loud and clear: 1/3 of UK kids will leave primary school overweight or obese.

“Sugar in our food and drink, whilst enjoyable in the short term, is our hidden enemy and can lead to numerous serious, chronic health problems, including dental decay, obesity diabetes and cancer,’’ Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of GPs UK says.